The Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford (METRICS) will work with a core group of interdisciplinary scholars to transform various aspects of the research enterprise, from methodologies to policy. To be co-directed by John Ioannidis, director of the Stanford Prevention Research Center, and Steven Goodman, associate dean for clinical and translational research at the School of Medicine, METRICS also will provide funding to students and scholars; organize collaborative working groups that include academics, policy makers, research funders, and the public; and work to establish similar initiatives worldwide. The center has named Deborah Zarin, a senior scientist at the National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine, as its first visiting scholar.

"Scientists have made amazing discoveries to date, but we have an opportunity to accelerate advances," said Ioannidis. "Our center is taking a methodical approach to identifying weaknesses in the research enterprise and evaluating ways to enhance its efficiency. We will be looking for ways to reduce biases in study design, data interpretation, and outcomes reporting."